Isfjorden

The widest fjord in Svalbard extends 107 kilometers into Spitsbergen, featuring numerous branches and steep mountain slopes along its southern coastline.

English explorer Jonas Poole named the fjord Ice-sound in 1610, while Dutch maps from 1598 referred to it as Grooten Inwyck after Barentsz's expedition.

Mining settlements developed around Isfjorden, including Longyearbyen and Barentsburg, due to the presence of coal deposits in the Tertiary geological layers.

The Northern Isfjorden National Park and Sassen-Bünsow Land National Park provide protected areas for the region's geological formations and natural habitats.

The fjord contains more than three-quarters of Svalbard's vascular plant species, making it one of the archipelago's most biologically diverse areas.

Location: Svalbard

Part of: Greenland Sea

GPS coordinates: 78.16667,14.00000

Latest update: March 8, 2025 18:47